Date of Award

Spring 2008

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

Program/Concentration

Psychology

Committee Director

Perry M. Duncan

Committee Member

Peter Mikulka

Committee Member

Barry Gillen

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.P65 C6595 2008

Abstract

Pfiesteria is associated with major fish kills in the Chesapeake Bay and the Albermarle-Pamlico sound and has also been associated with cognitive deficits in humans. This study consisted of two separate experiments. The first experiment was a near-replication of a previous study on anxiety in the elevated plus maze. The second study investigated the effect of ethanol on SMA in rats exposed to Pfiesteria toxins. Thirty-two rats were injected with either nontoxic water or toxic water taken from an aquarium containing active Pfiesteria shumwayae cultures and tested in the elevated plus maze. In the second experiment, ethanol (0, 600, 1200 mg/kg) was administered to these animals to determine effects on ambulatory and rearing activity in SMA detection boxes. Pfiesteria exposure had no significant effect on arm entries in the EPM, F(1,30)=.01, n.s. but did significantly decrease the time spent in the open arms of the EPM, F(1,30)=4.25, pPfiesteria toxin exposure and partially supported results found in a previous study. In the second experiment, Pfiesteria toxin exposure did not significantly affect rearing or ambulatory activity in SMA detection boxes. Ethanol decreased rearing activity, F(3,28)=41.08, p

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DOI

10.25777/xehv-bn04

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